1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to labeling devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to labeling devices that accommodate different shapes and sizes of media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Labeling devices for applying labels to compact discs are known. Such devices apply a label to a compact disc by moving the label and disc toward each other until they make contact. These devices suffer from the drawback of only being usable on one size CD.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a labeling device that can accommodate media of different sizes or shapes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a labeling device that can concentrically locate and align media of different sizes or shapes.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by a labeling device for applying a first label to a first medium having first geometries, and for applying a second label to a second medium having second geometries. The device has a housing having a first labeling portion and a second labeling portion. The first labeling portion applies the first label to the first medium and the second labeling portion applies the second label to the second medium.
The present invention also includes a labeling device having a first labeling portion with first and second surfaces and a second labeling portion with third and fourth surfaces. The first labeling portion is connected to the second labeling portion. The first and second surfaces are movable relative to each other from a first position in which the first and second surfaces are remote from each other to a second position in which the first and second surfaces are in proximity to each other. The third and fourth surfaces are movable relative to each other from a third position in which the third and fourth surfaces are remote from each other to a fourth position in which the third and fourth surfaces are in proximity to each other. One of the first or second surfaces holds the first label and the other of the first or second surfaces holds the first medium, and one of the third or fourth surfaces holds the second label and the other of the third or fourth surfaces holds the second medium.
The first labeling portion can have a first piston and a first housing with the first surface being disposed on the first piston and the second surface being disposed on the first housing. The second labeling portion can have a second piston and a second housing with the third surface being disposed on the second piston and the fourth surface being disposed on the second housing. The first housing can have a first opening formed therein and the first piston can travel partially through the first opening. The second housing can have a second opening formed therein and the second piston can travel partially through the second opening. The device can further have a resilient member that biases the first and second pistons such that the first and second surfaces are in the first position and the third and fourth surfaces are in the third position. The first housing can have at least one holding tab for locating the first label or the first medium on the second surface. The second housing can have a wall on at least a portion of the fourth surface for locating the second label or the second medium on the fourth surface. The wall can have a circular portion and a planar portion with the circular portion for locating the second label or medium having a circular shape and the planar portion for locating the second label or medium having a rectangular shape. The first housing can further have a stem and the first piston can further have a center opening with the stem disposed through the center opening so that the first piston can move along the stem. The first piston can have a first cylindrical member and a second cylindrical member having an inner hollow portion. The second piston can further have a third cylindrical member, a fourth cylindrical member and a fifth cylindrical member. The fifth cylindrical member can be at least partially disposed in the inner hollow portion of the second cylindrical member. The first and second cylindrical members can be concentrically aligned to form a first shoulder with the first surface being disposed on the first shoulder. The third and fourth cylindrical members can be concentrically aligned to form a second shoulder with the third surface being disposed on the second shoulder. The resilient member can be disposed in the inner hollow portion of the second cylindrical member.
The present invention further includes a labeling device having a housing with an upper surface and an opening formed through the upper surface; an outer piston having a top surface and an orifice formed through the top surface; an inner piston having a shoulder with the inner piston being disposed at least partially in the orifice of the outer piston; and a locking mechanism. The outer piston slides through the opening in the upper surface from a first position in which the top surface is remote from the upper surface to a second position in which the top surface is in proximity to the upper surface. The inner piston slides through the orifice in the outer piston from a third position in which the shoulder is remote from the upper surface to a fourth position in which the shoulder is in proximity to the upper surface. The locking mechanism selectively retains the outer piston in the second position. The upper surface locates the labels and the shoulder locates the media. The housing can further have a stem and the inner piston can further have a hollow inner volume. The stem can be disposed at least partially in the hollow inner volume so that the inner piston can move along the stem. The inner piston can further have a first cylindrical member and a second cylindrical member. The first and second cylindrical members can be concentrically aligned to form the shoulder and the second cylindrical member can be at least partially disposed in the orifice in the outer piston. The device can further have a first resilient member and a second resilient member. The first resilient member can bias the outer piston in the first position and the second resilient member can bias the inner piston in the third position. The first resilient member can be a torsion spring and the second resilient member can be a coil spring.